Uproar over 'disgusting' act during Black Lives Matter protest

Fans of English football club Millwall have been heavily criticised for booing their own players during a brief acknowledgment of the Black Lives Matter movement before a recent game.

Players from Millwall and Derby briefly took a knee before their English Championship game, resulting in loud boos from the home fans.

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Since football in England was allowed to restart in June, players in both the English Championship and the Premier League have been taking a knee to recognise worldwide protests against racial inequality.

The loud booing drew a disappointed response from many high profile figures, including the likes of Piers Morgan, who labelled the booing Millwall fans ‘morons’.

The controversial commentator also singled out Derby player Colin Kazim Richards, who stood up and raised a fist to the booing crowd.

“This is what courage looks like,” Morgan wrote on Twitter.

“As Millwall morons booed players for kneeling to show solidarity against racial injustice — one man @ColinKazim stood up to them in heroic defiance.”

Richards himself also took to Twitter after the match, frustrated by the booing and calling it an ‘absolute disgrace’.

He also said he would continue to stand up for racial justice, regardless of how fans reacted.

“Having to say this is a pain but I’ll say it every single damn time this is why I STAND and STAND PROUD and I have to say every single person involved with @dcfcofficial did too, made me proud to wear this shirt with the boys today!!! Absolute disgrace,” he wrote.

Millwall fans condemned over booing

The booing fans were roundly condemned online, while Derby coach Wayne Rooney, who enjoyed his first win in the top job thanks to their 1-0 triumph, also spoke out strongly against what had transpired.

“To hear that is very disappointing and upsetting for a lot of people,” Rooney said after the match.

“I’m pleased with how my team dealt with that.

“They’ve had to put that to the back of their minds for the 90 minutes but I’m sure it’s something they were thinking about.”

In an interview with the BBC, former Manchester City defender Micah Richards said it was ‘disheartening’ to hear the reaction to what was simply a gesture from the players.

“It is just disheartening. How do these fans get allocated to the games?” he asked.

The decision to kneel had been discussed on a Millwall fan forum prior to the match starting, eventually prompting the first team squad to post a statement outlining exactly why they had chosen to take then knee.

“We wish to make clear that taking the knee, for us, is in no way representative of any agreement with political messaging or ideology,” the statement read.

“It is purely about tackling discrimination, as has been the case throughout.”

A spokesman for the Football Association reiterated the organisation’s commitment to allow players to express themselves freely.

“The FA supports all players and staff that wish to take a stand against discrimination in a respectful manner, which includes taking of the knee, and strongly condemns the behaviours of any spectators that actively voice their opposition to such activities,” a spokesman said.

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